Electromagnetic record-selecting control means



Sept. 9, 1941. E. G. H'ERY 2,255,216

ELECTROMAGNETIC RECORD-SELECTING CONTROL MEANS Filed Aug. 26, "193s 2 sheets-sheet 1 Jmzzm- /ffmw p E. G. HENRY Sept. 9, 1941.

ELECTROMAGNETIC RECORD-SLECTlNG CONTROL MEANS Filed Aug. 2 6, 1959- 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v l Patented Sepe 9,- 1941 ELECTBOMAGNETIC RECORD-SELI'1C"I.1NG1

CONTBL MEANS Earle G.'Henry, Chicago, lll., assignor to Buckley Music System, Inc., a corporation oi.' Illinois .espumas August ze, 1939, serial No. zsaos'z 4 Claims.

The present .invention has for its object to produce a simple, novel and eillcient 'remote control system for musical instruments omachines adapted selectively to play any desired number of records.

A subsidiary object of the invention is to permit the presence of any desired number of distributed coin boxes or other control stations, without interference with each other, in connection with a record-selective system.

'I'he various features oi novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding "ci my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the 'fllo'wingdetailed description taken in connection 4'with lthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is aA diagram illustrating the present invention; Fig. 2 is a top'plan view. of thev electromagnetic actuator for operating the selective means forming part oi a phonograph or other musical instrument adapted selectivelyv to play a number of records; Fig. 3'is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Ii'ig. 41s a section on line 4 4 of Fig.-3, on a somewhat larger scale than the latter; Fig. 5 is asection online l-B of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a central longitudinal section through the upper portion of one -of the combined -contact makers and solenoid cores or plungers; and Pig. lis a perspective view of a clip, one of which'is associated with each of the solenoid cores or plungers to limit the lengthwise movement oi' the latter. l

Referring to Figures 2 to 7 of the drawings, l, i represent a series o! vertical solenoids corresponding in number to the number of records the playing of which is-to be' controlled. In the arrangement shown, these solenoids are located between upper and lower disks 2 and 3 of insulating material, so as to`be distributed at equal distances around avertical 'axis containing the ceri= ters o i the disks. As best shown in Fig. 3, the disks are drawn together, with the solenoids clamped between them, by means of long :screws l, d extending between them.

s ing from the upper end of the part I2; a sleeve Mounted upon the upper insulating disk 2 is a superstructure comprising. an upper horizontal ring l oi insulating `material; metal rings l and 1 arrimgedone above the other, below the ring l and in moed relation to each other and the ring 8;' and a ilber ring '8 lying below the ring 1 and spaced apart from both the rin',v 1 and the cass. umm-ng. s. measurements-55.

by means oi aligned spacing blocks 9 arrangedl one directly above the other and at least some o! them having neck portions extending through the overlying rings so as to form, in effect, a post or column positioned between the disk 2 and the ring i. The super structure assembly is rigidly united into a single unit by means of screws I0 passing down from the ring 5 into the disk 2 through each post or column.

The-disks 2 and 3 and the ring 5 contain holes axially aligned in the vertical direction` with the solenoids, so that the solenoid cores, with their extensions, to be described, may move freely in the vertical direction so as to project above the top of the rin'g 5 and below the bottom of the disk I, as may be required. Each solenoid core comprises a long cylindrical portion i2 oi magnetic material, preferably iron; a rod i3 of insulating material fixed to and ris- Il of metal, considerably shorter than the rod i3,

I surrounding and fixed to the upper part of the insulating rod; and a downward extension I5 of non-magnetic material, conveniently brass, on the lower end of the core member proper. The sleeve I4 is somewhat shorter than the distance from the top of the ring 1 to the top-of the ring 5. The upper end of the insulating rod i3 is pointed or cone-shaped, as indicated at I'Sn A s shown in Fig. 6, each solenoid core has in the body member, near the upper end, an annular groove I1, providing a reduced neck portion adapted to be straddled by the arms of a ilat U- 'shaped'- plate or clip i8, as best shown in Fig. 7; this plate or clip serving to limit both the upward and downward movements of the plunger. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, the clip i8 on the plunger at the extreme right is engaged with the undef side of the ber ring l, so that the plunger cannot rise any farther. On the other hand, the clip on the plunger at the extremeleft is resting upon the disk 2, thus preventing that plunger from moving down any farther. It will be seen that the plungers may easily be released for removal, by simply withdrawing the clips and allowing the plungers to drop out. f

The two plungers to which reference has Just been made as being respectively in an up and a down position, illustrate the two positions o t eachv plunger, one or the other of which must always be occupied. It will be seen from an examination 'of the right and lefthand plungers in Fig. 3, that whena plunger is up, a part ot its metal sleeve extendsaboveandbelowtheplanesoithe -spon f yins contact er i@ engeges with tops of the two upper rings i5 end t, while the xg dessert bare portion of the insulating rod it between the lower end of the sleeve and the body of the plunger, lies opposite the edge of the -ringll.

When the plunger is downas on lefthand side of Fig. 3. only the pointed upr end of the in? -sulatixig rod projects above the ring t3, whereas y. the metal sleeve I4 extends upwardly und down.-

wardly pest the edges of both the rings t end ll.

By providing each of the s E, 5 end l withyieldable 'contact pieces adapted to engage such.

portions o! each plunger device that lie just above the plane of euch ring, in either of the two pom-f tions of the plunger, the pler devices may be caused to eiect changes in the electric circuits upon energization and deenertion orxthe plucedon top of the dish t5, edjacentto euch of v in .a direction yieldingly to hold the @enge 2u against the correspon plunger device. n

each of the rings e and l I have mounted'contentl tive in pairs d, each or ers l .rphmger devi- As shown Vin ,1f-mf these pairs of tact ngers comprises e, little' metal plate' 2d overlap at one end the correend of the otherv nger, vso that both ers may be pivctslly held by a single pivot m24. Each or the ngers 22- has a. long edge hind and engaged with e. es et, serves yiel .1. ly to spreed the content :lingers of euch pair apart und hold them both against their cooperating plunger devices. The contact devices on the ring 'i may be and preferebly ure exactly like those Just described; but, to dist w. between the two ma sets. each contact er on the i 1 i is mi es ated by the reference chen2 coter at.

From en ection of Fig. 3, it be sem that whenever a er: r device is in its relsed noch tion, one of the contact ers l end one of the ccntect ers it beers egt the sleeve it or riei and is therefore idle .or ineechve. r n plunger is in its down tion, these 1- ne,...

the pointed upper end it of the rod l'o mui fr so that it is now echte orme: wherees'the coni-.ect er gstill :.fw in' engagent with the sleeve it which is now' touted by the t v in the electr-emmene switch' .device just described, it is widened in ornpon c phonograph cabinet, for ple, with the lower ends IB ofthe plunger devices each chore encor the selective buttons, levers or other elements form= phonograph etes. en,

ing von or the whenever c'plmw device-ism imesh@ it @ceram in@ sees? 'seme the suchen a, vs uente mung te r unbed imtll the record ,cox-reep@rfv? .n r there tov has been played, end then rearing that device wi' itself me thatsolenoids. In the arrangement shown, there isthe corresponding records have been played. Consequently, I need provideno means for raising the plunger devices, but only means, athe-l solenoids, for pulling them down with sumcient phonograph apparatus.

In order not to' place on the phonograph apparatus the burden of holding the plunger devices raised, the. three contact fingers that' constantly press against thesideof each plunger device'are utilized as rricti'onulv holding means to vprevenu'.

force tooperatexthe selective devicesin' the' the dropping of Athe plunger device, through'theV 'action of gravity, when they areuin their raisedy In Fig. l I have shown diagrammatlcally the manner of using the device just-described. Reierring to this gure of the drawings, 2t is adial,

, of which. there' may be any desired number, 'so

t at a phonograph', for exemple, may bev con-4 tro f ed from any one of a. plurality 'of spots. The

dialing devices muyv be constructed es. described in my' Selective switch application,V Serial No.

292,098, iiled August 26, 1939,'now' Patent No.

't 2,222,564, grantedNovember 19, 1940, and may 4be mounted in boxes and operated es illustrated fin my application for Wall bonerial No. 289,615, f

le' August- 11, 19339,l 310W Patent No. 2,219,257,

ted October 22;, 1940; and reference may be. had tothose patentsior further structural dc-vl teils with respect thereto, It is suiiicient to say here that each dial has thereon a yseries of contscts 29', arranged in a circle, the number of contects 'corresponding to' the number of plunger' devices. Cooperating with each of the` stationary contacts 2e is a movable contdct 30 mounted' on. as swinging arm 3l by means of which the mov ebie contact may be 'engaged successively with all l of the stationary contacts. The-movable contact de, through its arm 3l, is connected to' one side o the secondary 32 of e.l transformer through a linev tt; this line containing as many branches' t, in parallel with each other, as'there are dialy ing devices. Each ofthe branch `lines 35 contodos' a switch 3B adapted to be closed momentsrilyby a coin, indicated in dotted lines at n,

'tions between corresponding stationary contacts in the several ling devices are connected in any solenoid may be energized by the manipulation of any one o." the dialing devices.

The electromagnetic actuator for the selec-1 I tive devices in the playingjmc or instrument serves also to. close s. controlling circuit for..

the letter so es to insure that `the ple of the records will not stop until all of the records fillet v s switch 29 which is normally open and isadapted to be. closed by enelectromagnet tu upon enersition of the latter. It .will'be seen that the circuitfor the electromagnet 4t includes the trecrmer secondary 32 and has its te et the metal rings 6 and l, respectively. There.

fore, whenever the rings B and 'i are conductively.

, connected 'to each other. the electromagnet 40 vis energized. As heretofore explained, and `es to the seme solenoid terminal, so that f the ring l.

-gaged by one of the contact fingers 22 on the ring 5 and byy one of the contact fingers 21 on plunger devices is down, the circuit for the electromagnet l0 is complete and the switch` 38 is held closed. It will be seen that while the lowering of va 'single plunger device serves to close the switch 3Q, the holding of this switch closed does not depend upon that plunger device remaining down, provided another plunger device has been moved down before the first one has been raised. 'in other Words, ifi all of the plunger devices are moved down so to provide `for the playing ci all the reo-er "s, the switch device $9 remains closed until e last record has been played and the last plunger device has been driven into "aimed position.

its reise-:l

solenoid n a ce iii i a circuit can be traced from the rightha terminal oi tran.-

:ornier coll 32, through Waas 3d and dialing device, Wire di, through the lettli solenoid, through wire di?, finger sleeve its contact finger 22?., ring f5 an 'i Wire to the leithand terminal of the transfoer seoonolary. Thus, the solenoid becomes ellera'iaed and-draws the plunger device down as shown, pressing dorm the selective element oz" the phonograph apparatus, which :is indicated dotted lines at .als heretofore explained, il' aor the plunger devices were up at the time of pulling; down. the first one, the switch S9 :now closes and a playing cycle of the phonograph begins.

ils soon ,as the plunger device reaches its lower position, the energizing circuit for its solenoid coll is interrupted at the contact finger i9 which now engages with the tip it of insulating material instead o1 with the sleeve iii, as it did previously. Therefore, the energizing orcuit lfor eacl1 solenoid is broken as soon as the latter has accomplished its purpose of pulling its plunger device down, thus avoiding overheating of the solenoid case the coin happened to become stuck in circuit-closing position.

Should it be attempted to select the same record simultaneously at two coin boxes or in such sequence that the record has not been played beor all of the others may be energized by dialingl and inserting coins at one or more control stations; the phonograph then automatically playing one record after the other until all selections have been played. In the diagram the circuit y for the solenoid which is the third from the left has been closed at the righthand control station and has again been broken at the upperfend of the plunger'devlce; or this may represent an attempt to select a record which has already been selected but not yet played.

Upon the playing of -a record, the selectioncontrolllng solenoid B inthe phonograph apparatus rises as is the case with the element below Consequently, whenever one of thev the second plunger device from the lett in Fig. 1,

forcing the corresponding plunger device up to be in readiness again to select the corresponda!! that because of the novel actuator device, automatic phonographs or other playing machines or apparatuses, which `would otherwise be obsolete, can continue to be' usefully employed; since the buttons or other .finger pieces thereof may be operated by remote control, the plungers of the L' clair` l. l c 'rol syst selective haul" selective eier one of records, switch, corrupt' t a corresponding in nu each including oeil A adapted to push one oi? said element.. ,t o its :oecord-select'ii` position the corresponding coil 'is energized, a controlling circuit for ot said coils, a selective switch common to ot said controlling oiaeults, an electro-magnetic actuator for said controlling switch, an energizing circuit for the said electro-magnetic actuator, and a switch in said energizing circuit associated with and opened and closed by each of said movable members, the last-mentioned switches being arranged in parallel so that said energizing circuit can be closed by any one of these switches,

2. A control system for an automatic machine adapted'selectively to play any desired number of records, having a series oi.' manually operable selective elements each of which corresponds to one of the records, and having also a controlling switch, comprising: a series of electro-magnets corresponding in number to said elements and each including a coll and a two-position movable member adapted to be moved into one o! its positions when the coilis energized and to remain in that position when the coll is again deenergized, each of said members serving to push one of said elements into its record-selecting poi with each of seid movehle memhers to close seid controlling switch upon the energlzstion of the' corresponding coil, if it be not already -1= :e

3. In combination. series of electro-ts esch including. a coil and etwa-position member mhichls moved into. lone of said positions when the coil is energized and which remains intimi:a

esonero 4 4Q m e comes selective actuator maman device, e series of vertical solenoids s r f. in s circle, disk fe members overlying and undei-g the solenolds and secured together to position u deenergization of the coilI each of t seid members being adapted to serve es on ece.

tuetor for s selective elemente master controller for causing selective energization of the seid coils, meens controlled by each member to cause its coil to be nie-ener when that member resch its aforesaid position, en electronetic device to be energized# ond e, circuit for v,seid device Vincluding switches connected in mrellel end each including e movsble switch element oerried by one of seid-members.

ons ber snol mh plunger device to cause each plunger device to e en electrically-conductive connection hetween the bus bars in one position o? the plunger device end to interrupt that con- Election in another positie.u i 

